Arcturus cuts through galaxy's disk | Brightest Stars | EarthSky Arcturus is roughly 25 times greater in diameter than our sun. Arcturus / Antares/ sun size comparison from Wikimedia Commons . Arcturus, brightest star in the constellation Bootes What does the proper motion of Arcturus tell us? It tells us that Arcturus is moving at a tremendous rate of speed (122 km/s) relative to our solar system. Moreover, Arcturus is not moving with the general stream of stars in the flat disk of our Milky Way galaxy. Instead, it is cutting perpendicularly through the galactic disk. Arcturus is thought to be an old star. It appears to be moving with a group of at least 52 other such stars, known as the Arcturus stream. Arcturus is likely to be considerably older than our sun. When the sun evolves to become a red giant, the sun might be a star much like Arcturus is now. As it cuts through the galactic disk, Arcturus will eventually reach a closest point to our sun.

The closest approach of Arcturus will happen in about 4,000 years, when the star will be a few hundredths of a light-year closer to Earth than it is today. But remember that Arcturus is not moving with the general stream of stars in the disk of our Milky Way galaxy. Thus, we will lose sight of this star relatively quickly. Millions of years from now, this star will be lost from the view of any future inhabitants of Earth, or at least those who are earthbound and looking with the eye alone. The red giant Arcturus is roughly 25 times the diameter of our sun. It is not the largest of the red giant, however, as the diagram below shows. Because of its larger size, in visible light Arcturus radiates more than 100 times the light of our sun. If you consider infrared and other forms of radiant energy, Arcturus is about 200 times more powerful than the sun. Its mass is hard to exactly determine, but may be slightly greater than that of our sun (1.1-0.4+0.6 solar mass).

The reddish or orange color of Arcturus signifies its temperature, which is about 7,300 degrees Fahrenheit. That makes it several thousand degrees cooler than the surface of the sun. Arcturus is the brightest star in the kite-shaped constellation Bootes. Spring evenings are a good time to “follow the arc to Arcturus.” Face east. Find the Big Dipper. Follow the curve in the Dipper’s handle to the orange star Arcturus. How to see the star Arcturus. Arcturus is the alpha star of a cone-shaped constellation called Bootes the Herdsman. It is far enough north on the sky’s dome that – for northern hemisphere observers – it’s visible during some part of the night throughout most of the year. You might notice this bright orange star passing high overhead on late spring evenings. In summer, Arcturus is high overhead shortly after dark. Autumn observers need to look early because then it sets by mid-evening. The best time to observe it in winter is in the wee hours before dawn. Our chart shows this constellation as you stand facing south on spring evenings. Seeing a Herdsman in these stars might be difficult, but the constellation is easy to imagine as a kite.

There’s an easy mnemonic for remembering how to identify this bright, orange star. Just remember the phrase: follow the arc to Arcturus. First, locate the Big Dipper in the northern sky. Notice that the handle of the Big Dipper is a curve or arc. Extend this curve past the end of the Big Dipper’s handle, and you will come to Arcturus. Arcturus is the brightest star north of the celestial equator. What does that mean? Imagine that Earth’s equator can be projected onto the sky. This line above Earth’s equator is called the celestial equator. It divides the sky into northern and southern hemispheres, just as Earth’s equator does for Earth. The three brightest stars of the sky – Sirius, Canopus and Alpha Centauri – are south of the celestial equator. Meanwhile, Arcturus is the brightest star in the northern part of the sky. It is only marginally brighter than the northern hemisphere’s second-brightest star, Vega . To the eye, Arcturus and Vega reign as co-stars in the northern half of the sky. Johannes Hevelius drew the constellation in Uranographia, his celestial catalogue in 1690.

The view is mirrored following the tradition of celestial globes, showing the celestial sphere in a view from “ouside.” (Wikimedia Commons) History and mythology of Arcturus. Arcturus’ constellation Bootes – the Herdsman – is sometimes pictured as guarding the Great Bear, or Ursa Major, which contains the Big Dipper asterism. We sometimes hear Arcturus called the Bear Guard. In China, the constellation for which Arcturus is the chief star was sometimes called the Dragon. In some classical Greek stories, Bootes was Icarus, who in another story flew too close to the sun. Passing directly over the Hawaiian Islands, Arcturus was a particularly important navigational star to the islands’ native inhabitants and other Polynesians. The translation may be questioned, but Arcturus is among the few stars mentioned in the Bible. (“Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south” – Job 9:9 and “Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season?

or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?” – Job 38:32, KJV.) One interesting story about Arcturus relates to the 1933 Century of Progress Exhibition in Chicago. Its promoters wanted a flashy way to open the show, so they decided to have the light from Arcturus pass through a telescope onto a photocell. The photocell in turn worked as the switch that turned on the main spotlights to open the exhibition. There had also been a World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893, 40 years before the 1933 show. At the time, astronomers thought that Arcturus was 40 light-years away. So they thought that light left Arcturus at the end of the 1893 fair and traveled for 40 years through space like an Olympic torch bearer, to open the 1933 show. The promoters of Chicago’s World’s Fair had a great idea, but today’s astronomers place the distance to Arcturus at just less than 37 light-years .

The position of Arcturus is RA: 14h 15 m 39.7s, dec: +19° 10′ 56″. Arcturus, the springtime star | Tonight | EarthSky Arcturus, the springtime star Winding river of stars called Eridanus Tonight – March 21, 2017 – look for the gloriously bright star Arcturus . From mid-northern latitudes at this time of year, it rises into the east-northeastern sky about an hour after sunset. This yellow-orange beauty – like any brilliant star – sparkles wildly when it hovers near the horizon. Arcturus is the brightest star in the constellation Bootes, which represents a Herdsman – though to our modern eyes, this star formation might look more like a kite or snow cone. Arcturus will climb highest up for the night a few hours after midnight local time and will beam high in the western sky at dawn. You can verify that you’re looking at Arcturus by arcing to Arcturus via the Big Dipper’s handle, as depicted in the sky chart below.

Click here to know when Arcturus will rise into your sky. In any year, you can follow this imaginary arc to Arcturus and Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo the Maiden. But this year, 2017, is extra special because the dazzling planet Jupiter beams close to Spica all year long. Enjoying EarthSky so far? Sign up for our free daily newsletter today! Arcturus is the 4th brightest star in the night sky, after Sirius , Canopus , and Alpha Centauri . Sirius shines brightly on winter and early spring evenings. The famous southern star Canopus does, too, as seen from latitudes like those in the southern U.S. Alpha Centauri is too far south to be seen from the continental U.S. So Arcturus is worth getting to know. It is not only bright but also – due to its northerly location on the sky’s dome – visible for much of the year for Northern Hemisphere stargazers. Arcturus’ appearance in the evening sky is a welcome sign in our northern climes, because it heralds the coming of spring.

After the equinox this March 20, the daylight hours will begin to surpass the nighttime hours in length. Arcturus, like any star, rises 4 minutes earlier every day. In a week or so, the earlier-rising Arcturus will first beam at dusk, instead of nightfall. Arcturus’ dusk-till-dawn presence in the nighttime sky is a sure sign of spring returning to our Northern Hemisphere! Bottom line: Watch for Arcturus, brightest star in the constellation Bootes the Herdsman. From mid-northern latitudes, it rises in the east around nightfall. The Brightest Stars in the Sky: A Starry Countdown The Brightest Stars in the Sky: A Starry Countdown By SPACE.com Staff | March 18, 2014 11:35am ET MORE Credit: Clara Moskowitz/SPACE.com Star Light, Star Bright ... The night sky can be a wondrous place filled with stars, but there are some brilliant celestial lights that shine brighter than others. Astronomers measure the brightness of stars, planets and other night sky objects using a scale called magnitude. The lower the magnitude number an object has, the brighter it shines.

(Objects with negative numbers are exceptionally bright.) Here's a look at the brightest stars in the night (and day) sky based on their "apparent magnitude," which is how bright they appear from Earth. FIRST STOP: Achernar Credit: University of Illinois. Achernar The star Achernar lies in the constellation of Eridanus. The star has an apparent magnitude of 0.46 and an absolute magnitude of -1.3. It lies 69 light-years from Earth. [See our facts about Achernar .] NEXT: Procyon Credit: StarryNightEducation Procyon Next on the brightness list is Procyon , which is located in the constellation of Canis Minor (the lesser dog), 11.4 light-years from Earth. The star has an apparent magnitude of 0.38 and an absolute magnitude of 2.6. Image: Procyon, Betelgeuse and Sirius form the Winter Triangle. [See our facts about Procyon .] NEXT: Rigel Credit: Rogelio Bernal Andreo / NASA Rigel The star Rigel lies in the constellation of Orion, 1,400 light-years from Earth.

The star has an apparent magnitude of 0.12 and an absolute magnitude of -8.1. Image: Light from the star Rigel reflects off the dust composing the Witch Head Nebula. [See our facts about Rigel .] NEXT: Capella Credit: Starry Night Software Capella Capella lies in the constellation of Auriga, 41 light-years from Earth. The star has an apparent magnitude of 0.08 and an absolute magnitude of 0.4. Image: This sky map shows the location of Capella, a bright star also known as the "Goat Star," in the constellation Auriga, the Charioteer. [See our facts about Capella .] NEXT: Vega Credit: John Chumack/ Vega The star Vega (of "Contact" fame) lies in the constellation of Lyra, 25 light-years from Earth. The star has an apparent magnitude of 0.03 and an absolute magnitude of 0.6. Image: The Milky Way shines over western Iowa, August 31, 2013. The bright star Vega stands out at top center.

[See our facts about Vega .] NEXT: Arcturus Credit: Justin Ng Arcturus The bright star Arcturus lies in the constellation of Boötes, 34 light-years from Earth. The star has an apparent magnitude of -0.04 and an absolute magnitude of 0.2. Image: A lunar halo glows over Mersing, Malaysia. Venus appears at the bottom right with Saturn near the top of the moon. The fourth brightest star in the night sky, Arcturus, is seen near the top right corner. [See our facts about Arcturus .] NEXT: Rigil Kentaurus Credit: ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2 Rigil Kentaurus Rigil Kentaurus is the third brightest star in the night sky, though its brightness is due to the proximity of the system — commonly known as Alpha Centauri — which is the sun's closest neighbor, about 4.3 light-years away from Earth. The star is located in the Centaurus constellation, and has an apparent magnitude of -0.27 and an absolute magnitude of 4.4.

[See our facts about Rigel Kentaurus .] NEXT: Canopus Credit: NASA Canopus Canopus lies in the constellation of Carina, 74 light-years from Earth. The star has an apparent magnitude of -0.72 and an absolute magnitude of -2.5. Image: Canopus, the second-brightest star in the sky, is visible in this view photographed by astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, on board the International Space Station. [See our facts about Canopus .] NEXT: Sirius 10 of 12 Credit: NASA, H.E. Bond and E. Nelan (Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md.); M. Barstow and M. Burleigh (University of Leicester, U.K.); and J.B. Holberg (University of Arizona) Sirius Sirius lies in the constellation of Canis Major, 8.6 light-years from Earth. The star has an apparent magnitude of -1.46 and an absolute magnitude of 1.4. Image: This Hubble Space Telescope image shows Sirius A, the brightest star in our nighttime sky, along with its faint, tiny stellar companion, Sirius B.

[See our facts about Sirius, the Dog Star .] NEXT: The Sun Credit: Greg Diesel Walck Sun The sun , of course, represents the closest star to us. Earth orbits 93 million miles from the sun, which has an apparent magnitude of -26.72 and an absolute magnitude of 4.2. Image: Venus transits the sun, with sunspots, on June 5, 2012. [See our facts about the sun .] More Reading: Star Facts: Arcturus Home Stars Star Facts: Arcturus Star Facts: Arcturus February 8, 2016 Peter Christoforou Stars 0 Arcturus by Mike Hankey [ Arcturus is an orange giant star located 37 light years away in the Boötes constellation, with its apparent magnitude of -0.05 making it the 4th brightest star in the night sky.

Its name, meaning “Guardian of the Bear”, was a reference to the fact that since Arcturus was the most luminous star in Boötes the Herdsman , it was only reasonable to the ancient Greeks to see it as the “guardian” of both Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, both of which are nearby constellations.

Quick Facts • Coordinates: RA 14h 15m 39.7s| Dec +19° 10′ 57″ • Star Type : Orange Giant – K Class (K1.5IIIFe-0.5) • Constellation: Boötes • Distance to Earth: 37 light years • Apparent Magnitude: -0.05 • Luminosity: 170 times solar luminosity • Surface Temp: 4,000C (7,200F) • Radius: 11 million miles (25.7 solar radii) • Rotational Velocity: 2.4 km per second • Age: 10 billion years old • Designations: Arcturus, Alpha Boötis, Alramech, Abramech Location Look for Arcturus by following an imaginary arc line from the Big Dipper’s handle until you see the huge bright, orange star in Bootes. Located just 19 degrees north of the celestial equator, it is therefore visible from both the northern and southern hemispheres most of the year round at some part of the night.

In the northern hemisphere, Arcturus is associated with the arrival of spring , and in the southern hemisphere heralds the start of autumn. Visibility Arcturus has a visual magnitude of -0.05, making it is the brightest star north of the celestial equator, and the 4th most luminous star in the entire sky. Although Alpha Centauri is brighter than Arcturus, it is only as a result of the combined magnitudes of the Alpha Centauri system, whose individual components are all dimmer to the unaided eye than Arcturus. This fact makes Arcturus the third most luminous solitary star in the entire sky, with Alpha Centauri A following close behind with a visual magnitude of -0.01. Origins Arcturus is thought to have formed outside of the plane of the Milky Way, in the outer reaches of the galaxy’s thick halo. Some investigators have also posited that Arcturus may actually have been formed in a satellite galaxy that has since been devoured by the Milky Way, and that the 52 stars that share its motion and trajectory through the Milky Way, are in fact the remnants of that galaxy.

Physical Properties Arcturus is at least 110 times as bright as the Sun, although, much of its light is radiated in infrared wavelengths. If the total energy production of Arcturus is taken into account, the star is about 180 times as energetic as the Sun, with the apparent discrepancy explained by its cooler surface temperature of 4,286 K making it less efficient at producing energy than our Sun (5,778 K) at any given volume. Arcturus is believed to have only about 1.8 or so solar masses, despite being about 26 times as big as the Sun, and has an estimated age range of between 6 billion and 8.5 billion years. This makes the star old enough to have begun converting helium into oxygen and carbon, and if this is indeed the case, it will continue to expand until it has converted all of its helium supply. It will subsequently blow off its outer layers, and evolve into a white dwarf surrounded by a planetary nebula.

Proper Motion One notable feature of Arcturus is its high proper motion, which at a break-neck speed of 122 kilometres per second (2 seconds of arc per year), is the fastest of any first-magnitude star except Alpha Centauri . In the case of Arcturus, however, it is not moving in the broad plane of the Milky Way, but almost perpendicularly to the galaxy’s plane, much like a stone dropped into a pool of water. Arcturus is, however, not alone in its headlong plunge through the Milky Way – it is accompanied by 52 other stars, which are collectively known as the Arcturus Stream. Arcturus in History The ancient Greeks saw Arcturus in Bootes as the guardian of both Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, while in ancient Rome it was seen as the harbinger of stormy, if not tempestuous weather. Arcturus is one of only a few stars mentioned in the Bible, and by the Middle Ages it was assigned magical properties and lumped together with fourteen other stars which were collectively known as “Behenian fixed stars”, considered especially useful in medieval astrology.

In Australia, the Wotjobaluk Koori aborigines called Arcturus “Marpean-kurrk”, the mother of Djuit (Antares), and Weet-kurrk (Muphrid). The arrival of Arcturus in the north coincided with the arrival of wood-ant larvae, which formed a part of the diet of the Aborigines in south-eastern Australia. Arcturus also marked the beginning of summer when it set in the west with the Sun, which event also marked the disappearance of the wood-ant larvae. Stars Stars May 12, 2016 Peter Christoforou 0 Spica (Alpha Virginis) is a blue-white giant star located around 260 light years away in the constellation of Virgo. This 1st magnitude star is the 15th brightest in the entire night sky, and derives its […] Star Constellations March 20, 2016 Peter Christoforou 0 The night sky’s twenty-two brightest 1st magnitude stars are shown above, while the following table provides information on the 88 recognized constellations, together with details on their location, size, and brightest star.

Stars March 15, 2016 Peter Christoforou 0 Bellatrix (“female warrior”) is a bluish-white giant star located 250 light years away in the constellation of Orion, where it marks the giant’s western “shoulder”. It is the 3rd brightest star in Orion, with an […] Stars March 8, 2016 Peter Christoforou 0 Achernar (Alpha Eridani) is the most luminous star in the constellation Eridanus, marking the southern termination of the River, and is the 9th most luminous star in the entire night sky. Being a hot, blue […] Stars March 3, 2016 Peter Christoforou 0 Vega (Alpha Lyrae) is a beautiful bluish-white star located 25 light-years away in the constellation of Lyra. In addition to being the fifth brightest star in the night sky, it has other claims to fame, […] Stars February 26, 2016 Peter Christoforou 0 Capella is a yellow star located in the constellation of Auriga, and is also the sixth most luminous star in the whole night sky.

Meaning “small female goat” in Latin, Capella may appear as a […] Stars February 16, 2016 Peter Christoforou 0 Procyon is the most luminous star in the constellation Canis Minor, and the 8th most luminous star in the entire night sky. The star may appear yellowish-white, but Procyon is in fact a binary system […] Stars February 9, 2016 Peter Christoforou 0 Orion is the most-easily recognized constellation in the sky, which is no doubt due to its distinctive configuration, and the fact its constituent stars are very luminous. In fact, it includes two of the brightest […] Stars February 8, 2016 Peter Christoforou 0 Arcturus is an orange giant star located 37 light years away in the Boötes constellation, with its apparent magnitude of -0.05 making it the 4th brightest star in the night sky. Its name, meaning “Guardian […] Astronomy Lists Arcturus - Crystalinks Arcturus Arcturus is the brightest star in the constellation Bootes.

To the naked eye, orange-yellow Arcturus has a visual magnitude of -0.04, making it the brightest star north of the celestial equator, and the fourth brightest star in the night sky, after -1.46 magnitude Sirius, -0.86 magnitude Canopus and �0.27 magnitude Alpha Centauri. However, Alpha Centauri is a bright binary star, whose unresolved components to the naked eye are both fainter than Arcturus. This makes Arcturus the third brightest individual star, just ahead of Alpha Centauri A, whose visual magnitude is -0.01. Arcturus is visible from both hemispheres in the sky, as it is located less than 20 degrees north of the celestial equator. The star culminates at midnight on about the 30th April, being visible during the northern spring or the southern autumn. From the northern hemisphere, an easy way to find Arcturus is to follow the arc of the handle of the Big Dipper. By continuing in this path, one can find Spica, "Arc to Arcturus, then speed to Spica." The star is also a member of the Local Interstellar Cloud.

Arcturus takes its name from its nearness to the sky Bears, Big and Little Bears, Ursa Major, and Ursa Minor. From Arktouros or Arctophilax, "the Bear Guard" and also called "the Bear Watcher". The "Herdsman", or "driver of oxen" are other titles. Arcturus is the brightest star in the constellation of Bootes the Herdsman so it is also called Alpha Bootis. The pattern of stars in this constellation forms the shape of a kite or an ice cream cone; seeing a Herdsman driving the bears around the sky. Arcturus is believed to be one of the first stars named by ancient observers. It is translated as "Guardian of the Bear" and is a name that was once used for the entire constellation of Bootes. It is easily found by noting that the curve of the handle of the Big Dipper is part of a circle - an arc - and we can just follow the arc to Arcturus. Arcturus is a giant with a diameter about 18 times our Sun's and four times as much mass.

Its surface temperature is about 1500 degrees lower than Sun's but its much greater surface area results in an outpouring of energy at a rate making it 105 times as luminous as Sun. Arcturus is notable for its high proper motion, larger than any first magnitude star other than nearby ? Centauri. It is now at its closest point to the Sun, and is moving rapidly relative to the solar system. Arcturus is thought to be an old disk star, and appears to be moving with a group of 52 other such stars. Its mass is hard to exactly determine, but may be about the same as the Sun, and is no more than 1.5 solar masses. Arcturus is likely to be considerably older than the Sun, and much like what the Sun will be in its red giant phase. According to the Hipparcos satellite, Arcturus is 36.7 light years (11.3 parsecs) from Earth, relatively close in astronomical terms. From this satellite's observations, Arcturus is now known to be slightly variable, by about 0.04 magnitudes over 8.3 days.

It is believed that the surface of the star oscillates slightly, a common feature of red giant stars. In the case of Arcturus, this was an interesting discovery as it is known that the redder (more towards or within the M spectral class) a giant gets, the more variable it will be. Extreme cases like Mira undergo large swings over hundreds of days; Arcturus is not very red and is a borderline case between variability and stability with its short period and tiny range. Hipparcos also suggested that Arcturus is a binary star, with the companion about twenty times dimmer than the primary and orbiting close enough to be at the very limits of our current ability to make it out. The most recent studies of the issue are generally coming down on the side of it being a single star, however. Arcturus has the largest "proper motion" - motion across the sky - of any of the bright stars except Alpha Centauri, the nearest star to our solar system. In 100 years Arcturus moves across the sky a distance equal to about half the width of your little finger held at arm's length.

At its distance of nearly 37 light years, this motion, when combined with its motion along our line of sight measured spectroscopically using the Doppler shift, yields a space velocity of about 76 miles per second with respect to our Sun. Most stars in our vicinity are moving relatively slowly with respect to Sol because of our common motion carrying us around the center of the Milky Way galaxy every 250 million years. Arcturus is in an elongated orbit around the Galaxy's center that carries it out into the Galaxy's halo. It was formed in the halo of the Milky Way and is an interloper in our neighborhood. It has been visible to the naked eye for only about half a million years. It will be a little closer in a few thousand years, but then will recede from our view in another half million years as it continues its journey on a different orbital path. Arcturus's great brilliance makes it possible to obtain very detailed spectra and to determine its chemical composition. Arcturus is deficient in elements such as silicon, aluminum, and iron which are formed in stars. It contains only about a fifth as much of these elements as Sun.

These elements are formed inside stars, mixed into the interstellar medium as stars explode, and incorporated into subsequent generations of stars. Arcturus Wikipedia Mythology The name of the star derives from the ancient Greek Arktouros and means "Bear Guard". This is a reference to it being the brightest star in the constellation Bootes the Hunter (of which it forms the left foot), which is next to the Big and Little Bears, Ursa major and Ursa Minor. This bright star is the subject of numerous ancient and modern myths. Arcturus was famous with the seamen of early days and as a calendar sign regulated their annual festival by its movements in relation to the sun. But its influence always was dreaded, as is seen in Aratos writings. Its annual rising (the latest rising visible at sunset) fixed the date of the husbandmen's Lustratio frugum; and allusions were made to its character as unfavorably affecting the farmer's work; "When moist Arcturus clouds the sky". Other contemporary authors confirmed this stormy reputation, while all classical calendar's gave the dates of its risings and settings. Arcturus corresponds to the Hindu astronomy Nakshatra of Cultual significance.

According to E W Bullinger (The Witness of the Stars ), a biblical interpreter of the constellations, the ancient Egyptians called Bootes Smat, which means 'one who rules, subdues, and governs'. They also called him Bau, which means also 'the coming one'. An Egyptian astronomical calendar of the 15th century BC, associates it with the star Antares in the immense sky figure Menat; and Lockyer claims it as one of the objects of worship in Nile temples, as it was in the temple of Venus at Ancona in Italy. The Arabs knew Arcturus as Al Simak al Ramih, sometimes translated the "Leg of the Lance-bearer", and again, perhaps more correctly, the "Lofty Lance-bearer".

It is called Haris-el-sema, "the keeper of the heaven." This name has been variously romanized in the past, leading to obsolete variants as Aramec and Azimech, Another Arabic name; Al Haris al Sama, the "Keeper of Heaven," perhaps came from the star's early visibility in the twilight owing to its great northern declination, as though on the lookout for the safety and proper deportment of his lesser stellar companions, and so "Patriarch Mentor of the Train." This subsequently became Al Haris al Simak, "the Keeper of Simak", probably referring to Spica, "the Unarmed One". Al Biruni mentioned Arcturus as the Second Calf of the Lion, the early Asad (Lion) in early Arabian astronomy; Spica being the First Calf. The Greeks had a word meaning "Javelin-bearer", while Bayer had Gladius, Kolanza, and Pugio, all applied to Arcturus, which probably marked in some early drawing the "Sword", "Lance", or "Dagger" in the Hunter's (Orion) hand. Similarly it took the title Alkameluz of the whole constellation.

It has been identified with the Chaldaeans' Papsukal, "the Guardian Messenger", the divinity of their 10th month Tibitu. Along the Euphrates it was the Shepherd of the Heavenly Flock, or the Shepherd of the Life of Heaven, undoubtedly the Sib-zi-anna of the inscriptions; the star eta (Mufrid) being often included in this, and thus making one of the several pairs of Euphratean Twin Stars. Another title was Audiens, which seems unintelligible unless the word be a misprint for Audens, the "Bold One". With others it was Arturig and Ariture, or the Carlwaynesterre from the early confusion in applying the title Arcturus to Charles' Wain as well as to Bootes and its lucida. Bootes is the cultivator or Ploughman who drives the Bears, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor around the Pole Star, Polaris. The bears, tied to the Polar Axis, are pulling a plough behind them, tilling the heavenly fields "in order that the rotations of the heavens should never cease".

In the King James Version of the Bible, Arcturus is mentioned twice in the Book of Job: "Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south." Job: 9:9 Manilius 1st century AD writes "they will be kings under kings and ministers of state, and be charged with the guardianship of the people, custodianship of great houses and treasures, who confine their business to the care of another's home so that the wealth of monarchs and temple finances will be in their keeping". Any type of occupation that requires planning is influenced by Bootes. These people are the driving force behind government and large corporations. They are the planners and designers, the movers and shakers, who "make the world go round". Bootes symbolizes the elder, the sage, the wise old man who is interested in principles and underlying causes, theories, ideologies, and how the past effects the future. (Conservative) politicians, economists, draftsmen, architects, designers of all kinds. Prehistoric Polynesian navigators knew Arcturus as Hokule'a, the "Star of Joy." Arcturus is the Zenith Star of the Hawaiian Islands.

Using Hokule'a and other stars, the Polynesians launched their double-hulled canoes from Tahiti and the Marquesas Islands. Traveling east and north they eventually crossed the equator and reached the latitude where Arcturus would appear directly overhead in the summer night sky. Knowing they had arrived at the exact latitude of the island chain, they sailed due west on the trade winds until making landfall. If Hokule'a could be kept directly overhead, they landed on the southeastern shores of the Big Island of Hawaii. For a return trip to Tahiti the navigators could use Sirius, the zenith star of that island. The star achieved fame when its light was used to open the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. The star was chosen as it was thought that light from Arcturus had started its journey at about the time of the previous Chicago World's Fair in 1893. Technically the star is 36.7 light years away so the light would have started its journey in 1896. Pseudoscience Channeling Some people who call themselves Light Workers say they channel entities from Arcturus.

Edgar Cayce channeled that Arcturus is one of the most advanced civilizations in this galaxy. It exists in the fifth-dimension and is the prototype for Earth's future. Its energies work as an emotional, mental, and spiritual healers for humanity. It is also an energy gateway through which humans pass during death and re-birth. It functions as a gateway station for non-physical consciousness to become accustomed to physicality. Arcturus is that through which individuals pass, when the individual must chose as to whether it is to return to the Earth-sun system, or to pass on to others. This is both a step in soul evolution. New Age guru Jose Arguelles wrote that 3,000,000 years ago beings from Arcturus colonized the northern hemisphere of Mars and beings from Antares colonized the planet's southern hemisphere. All of the above is meaningless. Astrology In Vedic or Sidereal Astrology, Arcturus is called 'Swati' which is a word derived from the language Sanskrit.

It referred to "the Good Goer", or perhaps "Sword", but figured as a Coral Bead, Gem, or Pearl; and known there also as Nishtya, "Outcast", possibly from its remote northern situation far outside of the zodiac, whence, from its brilliancy, it was taken to complete the series of Hindu asterisms. In the astrology of the Middle Ages, Arcturus was one of the 15 Behenian fixed stars, associated with jasper and the plantain herb. Agrippa lists its symbol under the alternate name Alchameth. The Egyptian pebble is a brownish-yellow jasper. Arcturus is said to give prosperity from work, strong desires, a tendency to excess, a fondness for rural pursuits, together with some liking for occultism. It gives riches, honors, high renown, self-determination and prosperity by navigation and voyages. In Qabbalah, Arcturus is associated with the Hebrew letter Teth and the 9th Tarot Trump, The Hermit. - The Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology Tarot Arcturus is associated with the Hermit in Tarot.

Oswald Wirth in The Tarot of the Magicians writes about the Hermit ... Depicted wearing a cloak with a hood that covers him from head to feet; except for his face and hands he is completely undercover. Held up in his right hand is a lighted lantern, a walking stick in his left, with a serpent on the ground nearby. With his cane he taps and sounds out the earth as he advances slowly. Rather than kill the serpent he casts a spell on it so that it twirls around his stick suggesting that he works along with the lower energies. The lantern penetrates and searches out and reveals the inner quality of things. The Hermit is the master who works on the drawing board, where he casts the exact plan of the intended construction. Before taking form everything pre-exists as an abstract concept, as an intention, he represents the mysterious artisan, the drawn-up plan, the scaffold without which no vital construction could be made, the prototype putting the stamp of the species on the individual, the astral body of the occultist. He is the master capable of directing the work of others and of discerning what is in the embryo in the sphere of human development.

The Arc in Arcturus takes us to creation: Planetarium :: The Night Sky Indian Prairie School District 204 The Night Sky Circumpolar The Night Sky is a seasonal constellation guide. To get started, grab a current Sky Map and click on the season. For a printable sky map, click on the navigation bar ‘Backyard Stargazing’ and then the tab for 'Sky Maps'. Have you ever noticed that the night sky in winter looks different than the summer? We see constellations at different times of the year - spring, summer, fall, & winter. This occurs because the Earth is orbiting the Sun. In winter, we see the constellation Orion in the south at night and during the day the Sun is in the sky with the constellation Scorpius. In summer, we see the opposite (we see Scorpius at night and Orion is in the sky during the day). This is why you cannot see Orion or any one constellation all year long… Unless it is circumpolar. There are 5 constellations in the sky (at this latitude) all night long every night of the year – Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Draco, Cepheus, and Cassiopeia.

These are the best constellations to start with because they are visible all year long. Plus, if you don't know your directions you will want to start with Polaris (the North Star). Note: Planets and moon phases are not included in this section because they change. Visit the other sections in 'Backyard Stargazing' for the planets and moon phases. The Spring Night Sky The sky map is set for mid-March (10 pm) or mid-April (9 pm) or mid-May (8 pm). LOOKING SOUTH Leo the lion is the most prominent constellation in spring. Look for the stars in Leo’s head to look like a backwards question mark. Imagine Leo is looking to the right. The triangle makes Leo’s tail and hind end. The brightest star which would be the star at the bottom of the question mark is called Regulus. Leo is looking at Cancer the crab. There is no significantly bright star in Cancer. To find Bootes and Virgo, remember the saying ‘Arc to Arcturus and Speed on to Spica’. This saying starts with the arc of the Big Dipper’s handle.

Look to the overhead, or zenith, for those 7 bright stars in the constellation Ursa Major to make the spoon. Draw an imaginary curved/arched line between the three stars in the handle of the dipper. Then continue that curved line into the sky and ‘Arc to Arcturus’. Arcturus is an orange colored star in the constellation Boötes. It is also the third brightest star in the night sky. Boötes looks like a kite or ice cream cone in the sky. Continue the curved line from Arcturus to reach the bright star Spica in the constellation Virgo. LOOKING WEST & EAST Hercules is rising in the east and bringing in the summer constellations. Click on the tab for the summer. Orion is setting in the west with the winter constellations. Click on the tab for winter. LOOKING NORTH The Big Dipper in the constellation Ursa Major is high overhead. It appears to be pouring something out. Click on the tab for the rest of the circumpolar constellations. The Summer Night Sky The sky map is set for mid-June (10 pm) or mid-July (9 pm) or mid-August (8 pm).

LOOKING SOUTH High in the summer sky is the Summer Triangle. The three stars in the triangle are some of the brightest stars in the night sky. Vega, the fifth brightest star in the night sky, belongs to the constellation Lyra. Below Vega is the twelfth brightest star called Altair which is part of the constellation Aquila. The third star in the triangle is Deneb. Deneb (nineteenth in brightness) is part of the constellation Cygnus. The stars in Cygnus make up the ‘Northern Cross’ with Deneb at the top of the cross. Look for the cross inside the triangle. Low in the summer sky is the constellation Scorpius. More than any other constellation the scorpion resembles its name. The brightest star is a reddish star called Antares. Follow the trail of stars from Antares to the ground/horizon to make a hook in the sky to resemble the scorpion’s tail. At the end of the hook for the scorpion’s tail, you will find the constellation Sagittarius. Even though there is no prominent star, the stars make the shape of a teapot. Look near the head of the scorpion to find the constellation Libra.

Again, there is no prominent star, the stars make the shape of a kite. LOOKING WEST & EAST Pegasus is rising in the east and bringing in the fall constellations. Click on the tab for the fall. Leo is setting in the west with the spring constellations. Click on the tab for spring. LOOKING NORTH The Big Dipper in the constellation Ursa Major is in the northwest. The handle is pointed upwards with the bowl closest to the ground/horizon. Click on the tab for the rest of the circumpolar constellations. The Fall Night Sky The sky map is set for mid-September (10 pm) or mid-October (9 pm) or mid-November (8 pm). LOOKING WEST & EAST Taurus is rising in the east and bringing in the winter constellations. Click on the tab for the winter. Cygnus is setting in the west with the summer constellations. Click on the tab for summer. LOOKING NORTH The Big Dipper in the constellation Ursa Major is low on the ground/horizon in the north. Click on the tab for the rest of the circumpolar constellations.

The Winter Night Sky The sky map is set for mid-December (10 pm) or mid-January (9 pm) or mid-February (8 pm). LOOKING SOUTH The brightest constellation in winter is Orion, the hunter. Look for the stars to make the shape of a person in the sky with 2 shoulder stars, 2 leg stars, and three stars in a row to make a belt in the middle. Draw an imaginary line through the belt stars to the lower left and you will reach the brightest star in Canis Major called Sirius. You cannot miss it. Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. Sirius also belongs to the Winter Triangle. The Winter Triangle is made with stars belonging to Orion and his two dogs – Sirius (Canis Major) and Procyon (Canis Minor). Procyon is the brightest star in Canis Minor which is found to the left of Orion. To complete the triangle, use the top left shoulder star in Orion. This star is a reddish star named Betelgeuse (Beatle-juice). Above the Winter Triangle, look for the Gemini twins – the two bright stars named Pollux and Castor.

Pollux is brighter and has a yellowish color where Caster appears white. Draw an imaginary line through Orion’s belt stars again, but this time go to the upper right. You will reach Taurus. The brightest star in Taurus is an orange colored star called Aldebaran. Extend the line beyond Aldebaran to reach the Pleaides. The Pleaides is a beautiful star cluster that is also known as the Seven Sisters. LOOKING WEST & EAST Leo is rising in the east and bringing in the spring constellations. Click on the tab for the spring. Pegasus is setting in the west with the fall constellations. Click on the tab for fall. LOOKING NORTH The Big Dipper in the constellation Ursa Major is in the northeast. The handle is pointed towards the ground/horizon. Click on the tab for the rest of the circumpolar constellations. The North The circumpolar constellations are Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Draco, Cepheus, and Cassiopeia. These constellations are visible all night every night of the year.

They never set but rather make a complete circle around the pole star called Polaris (the North Star) above the ground/horizon. A long exposure photograph shows the circular path of the stars (Polaris is in the center). FINDING NORTH Before you begin stargazing, you need to find your directions. You need to find Polaris (the North Star). It is located due north, but it is hard to find because it is not very bright. The seven stars of the Big Dipper (part of Ursa Major) will point you to Polaris. The two stars at the end of the spoon in the bowl (away from the handle) are called the ‘pointer stars’. Imagine drawing a line between them and extend that line into the sky from the bowl (do not poke a hole in the bowl or you will get lost). You will extend that line about five times the distance between the pointer stars to reach Polaris. Looking at Polaris, you are facing north. LOOKING NORTH Polaris is the brightest star in the constellation Ursa Minor the little bear. The seven brightest stars in Ursa Minor make the pattern of the Little Dipper. Polaris is at the tip of the handle.

The Big Dipper is made with the seven brightest stars in the constellation Ursa Major the great bear. To find Cepheus and Cassiopeia, draw the imaginary line between the ‘pointer stars’ in the Big Dipper through Polaris onward. The stars in Cepehus resemble a house. The imaginary line should reach the star at the top of the house. Continue the imaginary line through that star in Cepheus to reach the stars of Cassiopeia. The bright stars in Cassiopeia resemble the letter ‘M’ or ‘W’ depending on where it is. Draco the constellation of the dragon is difficult to find because the stars are not very bright. The stars snake between Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. Note: Circumpolar constellations are dependent on where you live. At our latitude in the Northern Hemisphere there are 5 circumpolar constellations (listed above). ^

Question: In which constellation is Arcturus, the fifth brightest star in the night sky, located?
Answer: Bootes